TAMPA, Fla. — South Florida fired football coach Jim Leavitt after a school investigation concluded he grabbed one of his players by the throat, slapped him in the face and then lied about it. For more on this story go to ESPN.com.

Pete Carroll has reached an agreement in principle with the Seahawks on a deal to be their next head coach, multiple NFL sources confirmed early Saturday morning.
Carroll was fully expected to be introduced by the Seahawks as early as Monday, assuming they comply with the Rooney Rule this weekend. For more on this story go to ESPN.com.

PASADENA, Calif. — Nick Saban's rise to the top of the college football world has been built one thunderous tackle at a time. The wins have kept coming because the hits have kept coming, whether Saban was coaching in Baton Rouge or Tuscaloosa. For more on this story go to ESPN.com.

NEW YORK — Plaxico Burress is not getting out of prison just yet.
The work-release application for the ex-Giants star was denied by the New York Department of Correctional Services because of the nature of his crime. Burress pleaded guilty in August to attempted criminal possession of a weapon for having a loaded handgun in a nightclub that went off and shot him in the leg. For more on t...

Free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre has reached tentative agreement on a one-year, guaranteed, $10 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, multiple sources have told ESPN.com and ESPNBoston.com. For more on this story go to ESPN.com.

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux watched most of the team's lengthy 90-minute practice, which made it a different day than usual for the Stanley Cup champions. For more on this story go to ESPN.com.